United States President, Donald Trump, announced on Wednesday that the United States and China have finalized a new trade agreement, pending a final endorsement between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Taking to his official X account, Trump shared key details of the proposed deal, praising what he described as a strong and productive relationship between the two global powers.
Among the major highlights of the agreement is China’s pledge to provide the United States with full shipments of magnets and other vital rare earth elements.
These resources, integral to sectors such as electronics, defense, and renewable energy, have long been central to US-China trade discussions due to their strategic value and China’s dominance in their production.
“Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with president Xi and me,” Trump posted. “Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China.”
In return, the United States is expected to uphold certain commitments, notably maintaining access for Chinese nationals to American colleges and universities.
Trump expressed support for this aspect of the agreement, remarking, “including chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!).”
The former president also revealed tariff figures included in the arrangement.
According to him, the US will implement tariffs totaling 55 percent, while China’s will remain at 10 percent, an imbalance he framed as a significant win for American manufacturing and economic interests.
“We are getting a total of 55 per cent tariffs, China is getting 10 percent. Relationship is excellent!” Trump wrote.
This announcement comes in contrast to past proposals from Trump’s administration, which previously sought to restrict Chinese student visas amid concerns about national security and ideological influence at elite institutions like Harvard.
Despite those efforts, Chinese students have consistently contributed both financially and academically to US higher education.
In the 2023–2024 academic year alone, nearly 280,000 Chinese students were enrolled in US colleges and universities, although India recently surpassed China as the top source of international students in the country.
